Stewardship Tip 31st Aug, 2010- Litter
Sweet summer evenings, sapphire skies
Simple joys have a simple voice:
It says time’s a living prize
The lyrics from Simple Joys, a piece from the 1972 musical, Pippen, remind us that we don’t have to look far in order to find something of value.
As anglers, we can find simple joys under summertime’s sapphire skies at our local lake. Even in crowded urban environments, we can find a living prize near the edge of the water with a fishing rod in our hand.
But, even in that serene setting, we find litter. Unfortunately, litter is everywhere. Even more unfortunately, it is everywhere in large volumes. In 2008, Skagit County, Washington crews dedicated over 11,000 hours and collected 299,882 pounds of litter.
The problem with litter is that it is unsightly. But that is not the only problem.
Why it is important to the fish: Litter poses a real problem to wildlife and fish. Many types of litter, such as plastic bags, break down into smaller pieces and are ingested by fish. Other types of litter, such as polystyrene, act as bioaccumulators by collecting and concentrating hydrophobic toxins. And still, other types, such as plastic bottles, can leach Bisphenol A, a known endocrine disruptor, into the environment.
Our message this week is simple, clean up your litter! Take a trash bag along with you when you fish and make sure to use it. Take the time, too, to clean up any litter that you find. Someone may see you and may follow your example.
Two of the anglers who are participating the RecycledFish 24 Hour Fish-a-Thon, Caleb and Josh Workman will be highlighting this issue. Josh and Caleb note that “beer cans, fishing line, plastic packaging and a large amount of other garbage line the shores of perhaps one of the most scenic areas on the Missouri River. Littering threatens wildlife, including the local osprey population, it pollutes the water, it’s an eyesore and it also reduces angler access due to broken glass and excessive amounts of fishing line in the water and on the bank.”
As you enjoy the living prize of time this summer, under magnificent sapphire skies, help other to enjoy the simple joys of life. Clean up your litter.
Now, discuss the Stewardship Tip online!
Have questions about the Stewardship Tip?
First-hand experience?
Want to add to what’s been said here?
Now, you can!
Join us at the Recycled Fish Conservation Forum hosted by Big Fish Tackle for discussions on the Stewardship Tip and other issues relating to the future of our fisheries.
This week’s sponsor-partner:Tackle Box
Songs from the Tackle Box is a musical compilation inspired by fishing and the outdoor lifestyle. If you love music and fishing, then this collection is a must! You will be “hooked” from the very first note of this CD with sounds ranging from country to blues, folk, and swing. Best of all, sales benefit Recycled Fish.
It’s just $12 plus shipping from the Songs from the Tackle Box website.
For more information, checkout the RecycledFish Fish-A-Thon Webpage.
Rising demand for our weekly Stewardship Tip and a new partnership with Fly Cast America now makes the Stewardship Tip available in Spanish. Ahora, reciba el Stewardship Tip en español. Gentileza de Fly Cast America.
To read the weekly Stewardship Tip in Spanish, click here Simplemente haga click aquí si desea recibir el Stewardship tip en Español.
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